Multiple paper cup capper

ABSTRACT

A DEVICE FOR DISPENSING AND INSTALLING COVER CAPS ON PAPER CUPS CONTAINING BEVERAGE. THE DEVICE SENSES WHETHER A CUP THEREIN IS LARGE OR SMALL AND SELECTS AND INSTALLS THE APPROPRIATE SIZE COVER CAP.

March 2, 1971 A. c. OCCHIPINTI I MULTIPLE PAPER CUP CAPPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1969 FIG. 1.

FIG. 6.

FIG. 2.

8 WM m I H J w g 0 F7 C: m M w W M 4 A March 2, 1971 A. C. OCCHIPINTI MULTIPLE PAPER CUP CAPPER Filed July 15, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 UIIIIIIIIIIIII) 11', 14,111!

BY [4 f i wmv/ Afro/FM? 'Ya;

March 1971 A. c. OCCHIPINTI 3, 7

MULTIPLE PAPER CUP CAPPER Filed July 15, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet '5 FIG. 6.

504 Jiw INVI'JN'I'OR.

ANTHONY C. OCCH/P/A/ 74 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A. C. OCCHIPINTI MULTIPLE PAPER CUP CAPPER March 2, 1971 Filed July 15. 1969 g Q Q United States Patent 3,566,577 MULTIPLE PAPER CUP CAPPER Anthony C. Occhipinti, 219 Carondelet St., New Orleans, La. 70130 Filed July 15, 1969, Ser. No. 841,778 Int. Cl. B65b 57/ 02, 7/28 US. Cl. 53-67 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for dispensing and installing cover caps on paper cups containing beverage. The device senses whether a cup therein is large or small and selects and installs the appropriate size cover cap.

This invention relates to container capping machines, and more particularly to a device for dispensing and installing cover caps on paper cups.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for dispensing and installing cover caps on paper cups, the device being relatively simple in construction, being reliable in operation, and being arranged so that it can sense whether a cup placed therein is large or small and can then select and install the appropriate size cover cap thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device for dispensing and installing cover caps on paper cups, said device being relatively inexpensive to fabricate, being durable in construction, being smooth in operation, and enabling a paper cup or similar container containing beverage to be quickly and efficiently capped with a minimum amount of manual effort.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved automatic capping machine for placing cover caps on paper cups and similar containers, the machine being compact in size, being quiet in operation, and being self-monitoring with respect to the detection of cups which are cover-filled and which reacts in a manner to compensate for such over-filling.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an improved capping machine for paper cups constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front eleveational view of the capping machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the capping machine of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 5--5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4 with parts shown in a capping position.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially 0n the line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal detailed view taken substantially on the line 88 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional detailed view taken substantially on the line 99 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the over-fill-compensating mechanism employed in the paper cup capping machine of FIGS. 1 to 9.

FIG. 11 is an electrical wiring diagram showing the circuit connections of the various electrical elements employed in the paper cup capping machine of FIGS. 1 to 10.

Patented Mar. 2, 1971 Referring to the drawings, 12 generally designates an improved multiple-size cup-lid dispenser and positioner according to the present invention. The device 12 comprises a base plate 13 on which is mounted a housing portion 14 of generally rectangular shape and having a front wall 15 which is set back relative to the front edge 16 of base plate 13 to define a shelf space 17. The vertical front wall 15 of the housing is recessed at its intermediate portion, as shown at 18, to define a guide notch and said front wall is cut away, as shown at 19, to define a rectangular insertion opening through which a beverage cup 20 may be moved. Thus, the opening 19 leads to an interior chamber having sidewalls 21, 21, said sidewalls converging rearwardly and merging in an arcuate'ly-curved inner end wall portion 2 which slopes upwardly and rearwardly, as shown in FIG. 4, so as to conformably-receive a conventional upwardly-flaring beverage cup.

The main housing 14 is formed at its intermediate portion with an upwardly-rising auxiliary housing portion 23 of generally rectangular horizontal cross-sectional shape which overlies and extends rearwardly from the cup-receiving inner end portion of the cavity defined by the sidewalls 21, 21 and their inner joining portion 22.

As shown in FIG. 4, the inner cavity defined by the wall elements 21, 21 and 22 includes a horizontal slot 24 at its lower portion and mounted adjacent said cavity lower portion is a microswitch S having its operating element projecting into the central portion of the slot 24, the operating element of said microswitch being engaged by a cup of either large or small size inserted into the cupreceiving cavity, since the operating element of microswitch S is engaged by the lower portion of a cup of either size.

The cup-receiving cavity is provided at an upper level thereof with another horizontal slot 25, with a microswitch S mounted adjacent thereto with its operating element projecting into the central portion of the slot 25 and located so as to be engaged only by a large cup and so as not to be affected by the presence of a small cup in the cup-receiving cavity.

symmetrically-located on opposite sides of the upstanding central housing portion 23 are respective cup lid-dispensing racks 26 and 26', the rack 26 being dimensioned to receive a stack of cup lids 27 of a size to be employed on small-sized beverage cups, and the rack 26' being dimensioned to receive a corresponding stack of cup lids 27 of a size to be employed with a largersized paper cup. Thus, the racks 26 and 26' may comprise a plurality of upstanding vertical rods 29 rigidly-secured on the horizontal wall 30 of the main housing 14 and rigidly-secured at their top ends to a top cover disc 31, thereby forming an enclosure in which a stack of paper cup cover discs may be retained with the discs being freely slidable downwardly by gravity relative to the rods 29. As shown in FIG. 5, the cover discs 27 and 27' are of the type provided with finger tabs 32, and the guide rods 29 are arranged so that the finger tabs 32 are received between a pair of guide rods 29, 29, whereby the cover discs 27 and 27 are held against rotation although they are free to slide downwardly.

Horizontal wall 30 is suitably apertured to allow the passage therethrough of the cover discs 27 and 27', the lowermost of said cover discs 27 and 27 being respectively received in conformably-shaped apertures 33 and 33' provided in respective horizontally-pivoted, horizontally-extending plate members 34 and 34' provided below top wall 30 of the main housing 14. Thus, the plate members 34 and 34' are rigidly-mounted on vertical shaft elements 35 and 35' journaled in main housing portion 14 and being located symmetrically on opposite sides of the central vertical plane of the housing. The plate mem- 3 bers 34 and 34' are pivoted so that their apertures 33 and 33 can be brought into vertical registry with a cup placed in the enclosure defined between the walls 21, 21, with the cup substantially in abutment with the inner end wall portion 22 of the enclosure.

The plate members 34 and 34' are provided with slotted drive arms 36 and 36 which are drivingly-connected to respective horizontal lever arms 37 and 37' which are, in turn, connected to the shafts 38 and 38 of verticallypositioned reversible electric motors M and M mounted on brace plate 13 and located symmetrically on opposite sides of the transverse vertical central plane of housing 14. The arms 37 and 37' are thus drivingly-connected to the arms 36 and 36' by upstanding drive pins 39 and 39' provided on the forward ends of arms 37 and 37' and engaging slidably in the slots of the respective arms 36 and 36'. The upstanding pins 39 and 39 thus exert camming action on the respective arms 36 and 36' responsive to the rotation of arms 37 and 37', which results in corresponding rotational movement of the plate members 34 and 34'. Thus, in FIG. 6, the plate member 34 is shown in normal position with its aperture 33 in vertical registry with the rack 26 whereby the lowermost cover cap 27 is received in the aperture 33. If motor M is energized in its forward direction, the arm 37 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 6, causing the plate member 34 to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction and causing the aperture 33 to move toward a position in vertical registry with a beverage cup positioned in the cavity defined between walls 21, 21 with the beverage cup substantially in abutment with the inner end wall portion 22. As will be presently described, a cap 27 carried in the aperture 33 is then pushed downwardly in sealing relationship with the cup. Meanwhile another cap 27 is deposited on the plate member 34 by gravity and when the plate member 34 returns to its normal position, in a manner presently to be described, the newly-deposited cap 27 moves into the aperture 33.

As shown in FIG. 8, the aperture 33 is provided with an outwardly-extending radial end slot 40 adapted to receive a cover tab 32, the tab being engaged by a slide element 41 which is spring-biased against the tab by a coil spring 42 mounted in the outer end portion of the slot 40 with its ends engaged on respective lugs 43 and 414 provided on slide 41 and the transverse end portion of s t 40.

As shown in FIG. 9, the slide 41 may comprise upper and lower segments 44 and 45 held together by a rivet 46 with the side edges of the segments suitably recessed to slidably-receive the side edges of the slot 40. The spring 42 exerts sufiicient retaining force on the slide member 41 to hold a cap 27 in the aperture 33 until it is pushed downwardly, in a manner presently to be described, to force it into the top of a beverage cup to be capped. The slide member 41 is sufi'iciently retracted to easily allow the tab 32 of the next cover cap to move into the slot 40 when the next cover cap slips into the aperture 33 responsive to the return of plate member 34 to its normal position shown in FIG. 6 as will be presently described.

Generally-mounted in the rear portion of the combined housing sections 14 and 23 is an upstanding bracket member 47 which is rigidly-secured to base plate 13. At its top end bracket member 47 is formed with the forwardlyextending horizontal arm 48 which is formed at its forward end with a vertical sleeve 49 through which is slidably-engaged a vertical plunger rod 50. Plunger 50 is provided at its bottom end with a circular plunger disc 51 which overlies an aperture 52 formed in horizontal wall substantially in vertical registry with the position of a beverage cup when it is inserted in the cavity defined between walls 21, 21'and substantially abuts the inner end wall portion 22, as shown in dotted view in FIG. 4. The aperture 52 is of the same general shape as the disc 51, but is substantially larger than the disc so as to allow the disc to pass freely therethrough when the 4 plunger rod is reciprocated in a manner presently to be described.

A drive lever 53 extends through and is pivoted in a transverse aperture 54 provided in the upper portion of the upstanding bracket member '47, the lever 53 being pivoted to the bracket 47 and aperture 54 by a transverse pivot pin 55. The forward portion of lever 53 extends through and is pivotally engaged in an aperture 56 provided in the plunger rod 50. The rear end portion of the lever 53 is piovtally connected at 57 to the bottom end of the plunger 58 of a solenoid 59 which is vertically secured to the top end portion of bracket member 47 and is thus located adjacent the rear end wall of housing portion 23.

As will *be readily apparent, energization of the solenoid 59 elevates its plunger 58 and rotates the lever 53 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4, which thus moves the plunger rod 50 and its capping disc 51 downwardly through the aperture 52 to force subjacent cap 27 or 27' into the top end of a beverage cap disposed below aperture 52.

Rigidly-mounted on the top end of plunger rod 50 is a clevis bracket 64 having upwardly and rearwardly-inclined spaced parallel arms 65. Pivoted at 66 between the clevis arms is a lever 67. Rotatably-connected to the rear end of the lever 67 is a weighted roller 68. The for ward end of lever 67 is formed with a downwardly and forwardly-inclined cam arm 69 which is yieldably-engaged by the inclined top arm 70 of an upstanding leaf spring 71 whose lower end is secured at 72 to the lower portion of the vertical sleeve element 49. Thus, the inclined top arm portion 70 normally bears against the downwardly and forwardly-inclined forward end portion of lever 67 and biases the lever 67 to the full-line position thereof shown in FIG. 10, namely, to a substantially horizontal position. During the descent of the plunger rod 50, in a manner presently to be described, for example, from the full-line top position of arm 67 to the lowered dotted-view position thereof, if such descent should be retarded to a substantial degree, for example, when a subjacent cup being capped is over-filled, the excessive retardation will cause the weighted lever 67 to swing from its horizontal position to its vertical position, due to the inertia of the weighted roller 68. Thus, lever 67 with its weighted roller 68 acts as an over-fill detection means, whereby in the event of an over-filled cup being capped, the lever 67 will swing to the vertical position thereof shown in dotted view in FIG. 10 during the descent of the plunger rod 50. A microswitch S is mounted on the horizontal bracket arm 48 with its operating element 73 located in the path of the weight roller 68 when arm 67 is swung to its vertical position shown in dotted view in FIG. 10. Thus, as will be presently described, the microswitch S is employed to provide the appropriate control action responsive to the detection of an overfilled cup.

As will be presently explained, the operation of the microswitch S de-energizes the solenoid 59 at a sufficiently early stage in the capping operation to prevent excessive force from being exerted on the cap being placed on the over-filled cup. Thus, the over-filled cup will be capped, but its cap will not be driven into the top of the cup to the same degree as in the case of a cup which is not over-filled.

Upon the return of the plunger rod 50 to its elevated position at the end of a capping stroke the lever 67 is returned to its normal horizontal position because of the biasing action thereagainst of leaf spring 71 and the engagement of the portion 69 of the lever with the top portion 70 of the leaf spring as the plunger rod 50 returns to its fully elevated position.

As shown in FIG. 10, the counterclockwise rotation of the lever 67, which occurs responsive to the above-described excessive retardation of plunger rod 50 which develops in the case of an over-filled cup, is limited by the provision of a stop flange 75 on the clevis member 64. Thus, when the lever 67 is rotated to its vertical position, shown in dotted view in FIG. 10, its counterclockwise rotation is limited by its engagement with the edge of stop flange 75. In this position of the lever 67 the weight roller 68 is properly located so as to engage the operating arm 73 of microswitch S The lever 37 is provided with a rear extension 80 provided at its rear end with a yoke 81 operatively-engageable with the operating element of a toggle switch of the double-pole, double-throw type, designated at 8 S In the normal position of the plate member 34, shown in FIG. 6, the switch units S S are placed in the positions thereof shown diagrammatically in FIG. 11, namely, the poles of S and S are in their upper positions. When the plate member 34 is rotated to capping position with the aperture 33 thereof in vertical registry with the apperture 52, the yoke 81 operates the multiple-contact switch assembly S S and the plate member operates a microswitch S so as to move the poles of S and S to their lower contacting positions and to close switch S The lever member 37' is provided with a similar rear extension 80' having a yoke 81' which coacts with double-pole, double-throw toggle switch assembly S S controlling the forward or reverse energization of the motor M as will be presently described. The poles of switch units S and S are normally in their downward position, but are elevated to their upward positions responsive to the rotation of plate member 34 to the capping position thereof shown in FIG. 6, because of the cooperation of yoke member '81 with the operating arm of switch assembly S S A further multiple-unit microswitch assembly S S S is secured to the horizontal bracket arm 48 with its operating element 82 in a position to be engaged by the top edge of lever 53. Thus, when the lever 53 is in the position thereof shown in FIG. 4, namely, with capping rod 50 elevated, the operating element 82 is engaged by the top edge of lever 53 and switch unit S is opened, switch unit S is closed, and also switch unit S is closed. When solenoid 59 is energized, causing lever 53 to rotate in a clockwise direction from the position of FIG. 4, the switch operating element 32 is released, allowing switch unit S to close and switch units S and 8 to open. Solenoid 59 is of the conventional type provided with biasing means urging its plunger 58 downwardly, namely, toward the position thereof shown in FIG. 4, wherein the capping plunger 50 is in elevated position.

FIG. 11 shows the electrical circuit connections of the various elements of the apparatus, with the parts in normal positions, namely, with the plate members 34 and 34 in the dotted view position shown in FIG. 5, wherein the apertures 33 and 33' are located beneath and in vertical registry with the respective stacks of cup lids 27 and 27. It is to be noted that FIG. 6 differs from FIG. 5 in that FIG. 6 shows the plate member 34 rotated to its capping position, wherein its aperture 33' carrying a cup lid 27' has been rotated to a position beneath and in vertical registry with the capping disc element 51 carried by the capping plunger rod 50.

As shown in FIG. 11, the operating circuit of the device is energized from a pair of alternating current supply wires 84 and 85. The active circuit is energized from the wire 84 and a wire 86 which is connected to the line wire 85 through the main control switch S and a fuse 87. A pilot light 88 is connected between the wire 84 and 86, as shown. One terminal of the plunger solenoid 59 is connected to line wire 84, and the other terminal thereof is connected to the pole 88 of a relay K pole 88 normally engaging an upper contact 89 of the relay and being movable downwardly to engage a lower contact 90 thereof responsive to the energization of the relay. One terminal of the winding of the relay K is connected to the line wire 84, and the other terminal thereof is connected to the wire 86 through the normally open microswitch S As above-mentioned, the microswitch S closes responsive to the movement of plunger rod 50 downwardly whereby by the operating element of the microswitch S is engaged either by the flange 75 or by the inertia-actuated roller 68.

The motor M associated with the plate member 34, has one terminal thereof connected to line wire 84. This is the common terminal associated with respective forward and reverse windings included in motor M which is of conventional construction. Thus, said motor has a forward terminal wire 91 and a reverse terminal wire 92. Terminal wire 91 is connected to an upper contact 93 of switch S normally engaged by its pole. Terminal wire 92 is connected through the normally closed reversing switch S7 to a bottom contact 94 of switch S The pole of switch S engages contact 94 responsive to the operation of said switch by the yoke 81 when the lever arm 37 rotates clockwise from the position thereof shown in FIG. 6 to its limit position wherein aperture 33 is in registry with the capping disc 51 beneath the aperture 52.

Microswitch S closes responsive to the descent of the plunger rod 50, namely, responsive to release of the operating lever 82 when lever arm 53 rotates clockwise from the position thereof shown in FIG. 4.

The pole of switch S is connected to wire 86.

The forward terminal wire 91 is normally connected to a wire 95 through the upper contact 93 of switch S and the pole thereof. Wire 95 is normally connected to the pole 97 of a relay K through the normally closed microswitch S Thus, the pole of microswitch S is normally in its lower position and engages a contact 98. When a large cup is placed in capping position beneath the aperture 5 2, the engagement of the cup with the operating element of microswitch S causes its pole to disengage from contact 98 and engage an upper contact 99.

The forward terminal wire of the motor M is connected to a contact 100 normally engaged by the pole of the switch 8 which is, in turn, connected to contact 99 of microswitch S The common terminal of motor M is connected to the line wire 84. The reverse terminal wire, shown at 102, is connected to an upper contact 103 of switch 8 through the normally open microswitch 8 Microswitch S closes when the operating arm 82 is released by the clockwise rotation of lever 53, as abovedescribed. This occurs when plunger 50 descends. Thus, the forward terminal wire 104 of motor M is connected to the lower contact 100 of switch S whereas the reverse terminal wire .102 thereof is connected through the microswitch 8 to the upper contact 103 of the switch S The poles of the switches S and 8 are moved to their upper positions responsive to the rotation of the plate 34' to its capping position, shown in FIG. 6, by the action of the yoke member 81 as previously described.

The pole of switch S is connected to wire 86. Also connected to wire 86 is the pole 105 of a relay K said pole normally engaging the lower contact 106 of the relay and being engageable with an upper contact 107 thereof responsive to the energization of said relay K Contact 106 is connected to the lower contact 90 of relay K by a wire 108. Upper contact 107 is connected to the upper contact 89 of relay K by a wire 109. One terminal of the winding of relay K is connected to line wire 84, and the other terminal thereof is connected through the microswitch S to the wire 86.

The pole 97 of the relay K normally engages its lower contact .110 and is elevated to engage its upper contact 111 responsive to the energization of the relay.

Lower contact is connected by a wire 112 to the lower contact 113 of a relay K and upper contact 111 is connected by a wire 114 to the upper contact 115 of said relay K The pole 116 of relay K is connected to wire 86. One terminal of the winding of relay K is connected to line wire 84, and the other terminal thereof is connected to wire 86 through the microswitch S which is normally open, but which closes when a beverage cup to be capped is placed in position for capping, namely, when the cup is placed against the inner end wall portion 22 of the capping recess.

One terminal of the relay K is connected to line wire 84, and the other terminal thereof is connected through the microswitch S to the wire 86. Switch S is normally open, but closes responsive to the release of operating element 82 as arm 53 rotates in a clockwise direction from the position of FIG. 4, namely, responsive to the descent of the capping plunger rod 50. Thus, microswitch S closes when the plunger rod begins its downward travel and the microswitch 8. which controls the energization of the relay K closes when a plate member 34 or 34" has substantially completed its travel in a normal capping operation, by the engagement of the plate member with the operating element 63 of microswitch 8,.

In operation, the main control switch S is closed to place the device in condition for operation. Let it be assumed that a small cup filled with beverage to a normal level is then placed in the enclosure defined between the wall elements 21, 21 with the cup inserted sufficiently so that it engages the operating element of microswitch S The closure of switch S energizes the relay K since it connects the winding of said relay to the wires 86 and 84. Pole 97 of said relay then is elevated into engagement with contact 111. This energizes the forward winding of motor M through a circuit comprising wire 84, said forward winding, lead wire 91, contact 93, the pole of switch S wire 95, contact 98, the pole of microswitch S in its lower position, relay pole 97, contact 111, wire 114, the upper contact 115 of relay K the pole 116 of said last-named relay, and wire 86. This rotates the plate member 34 in a counterclockwise direction, from its position of FIG. 6, bringing the aperture 33 and a cap 27 carried therein beneath and in registry with aperture 52 and the capping plunger disc 51. In this position of lever arm 37, the yoke 81 engages the operating element of toggle switches S S and moves the poles thereof downwardly so that the pole of switch S engages contact 94, preparing the reverse circuitfor the motor M It will be noted that the microswitch S is located so that its operating element is in the path of movement of either plate element 34 or 34', and is so located that the switch 8.; will be closed when either of said plate elements reaches capping position. Thus, when plate element 34, as above-described, reaches its capping position, switch S closes and energizes relay K by connecting its winding across wires 86 and 84. Pole 105, therefore, is elevated into engagement with contact 107 and the plunger solenoid 59 becomes energized through a circuit comprising wire 84, the winding of the solenoid, pole 88 of relay K contact 89, wire 109, contact 107 of relay K pole 105 and wire 86. Plunger rod 50' thus descends, whereby the operating element 82 is released, which causes microswitch S to open and microswitch S to close. The opening of microswitch S prevents motor M; from reversing at this point.

The closure of microswitch S energizes relay K; by connecting its winding across wires 84 and 86, whereby its pole 116 descends to engage contact 113. The plunger rod 50 descends and the disc 51 forces the cap 27 into the top of the cup, thus performing the required capping operation. Flange 75 engages the operating arm of microswitch S closing said microswitch and energizing relay K by connecting it across wires 84 and 86. This causes pole 88 to disengage from contact 89 and to engage lower contact 90, thereby de-energizing the plunger solenoid 59. The capping plunger rod 50, therefore, returns toward its normal elevated position. When lever 53 engages the operating element 82, switch S opens, de-energizing relay K and returns pole 116 to its normal elevated position in engagement with contact 115. Also, switch S7 closes which completes the reverse circuit of motor M through a circuit comprising wire 84, the reverse winding of motor M wire 92, switch S the pole of switch .5 and wire 86. Plate member 34 is thus returned to its starting position, and when it has reached this position the yoke 81 returns switch S and switch S to their normal condition wherein their poles are elevated, as shown in FIG. 11, and wherein the pole of switch S engages contact 93, preparing the motor M for the next cycle. When the cup is removed, the parts are all in their original starting positions.

When a large cup, filled to the normal level with beverage is inserted in the enclosure between walls 21, 21 and engages the operating elements of microswitches S and S a similar operation occurs, except that the pole of microswitch S engages its upper contact 99, which removes the motor M from the circuit and substitutes the motor M The closure of the pole of microswitch S with upper contact 99 occurs prior to the closure of switch S Thus, when S closes relay K is energized and its pole 97 engages its upper contact 111, as before-described, thereby completing the circuit through the forward winding of the motor M This rotates the plate member 34 to the position thereof shown in FIG. 6, elevating the pole of switch S into engagement with contact 103, but also closing microswitch S whereby the plunger solenoid 59 is energized, causing plunger rod 50 to descend and opening the switch S whereby reversal of motor M is temporarily prevented. The capping operation proceeds as before-described in connection with the small cup, and the reversing circuit of motor M is closed when the plunger returns to its elevated position, as previously described.

If a cup should be over-filled, namely, if the level of beverage in the cup is substantially above the desired normal level, the capping plunger disc 51 will encounter resistance as it moves the cap into the top of the cup, which causes the descent of the rod 50 to be retarded, or decelerated sufiiciently to cause the weighed roller 68 and arm 67 to swing to the depending dotted-view position thereof shown in FIG. 10. This causes the roller 68 to engage the operating element 73 of switch S opening the circuit of the relay K which, in turn, opens the circuit of the plunger solenoid 59 by allowing the relay pole 88 to disengage from the lower contact 90 of the relay. This immediately terminates the downward movement of the capping plunger and causes the plunger rod 50 to return to its normal elevated position. Thus, the cycle is shortened appropriately to compensate for the over-filled condition of the cup.

It will be noted that the lever 53 is provided with a depending projection, or cam element 62 which is engageable with either plate element 34 or 34 when the plate element is in capping position to limit the downward movement of the plunger rod 50. Thus, in capping a normally-filled cup, the plunger rod 50 is allowed to move downwardly until the stop projection 62 engages the plate element 34 or 34'. With a normally-filled cup, this action occurs substantially at the same time that the flange engages the operating element of the microswitch S With an over-filled cup, as above-described, microswitch S is operated before projection 62 can engage the plate member 34 or 34.

As previously-mentioned, the lowermost cup lid of the stack of lids 27 or 27 slips into the aperture 33 or 33' upon the return of the corresponding plate member 34 or 34 to its normal position. The pressure clip element 41 associated with the lid-receiving aperture engages the corresponding finger tab 32 with spring pressure while the lid is being rotated toward capping position over the cup to be capped. Upon the return of the plate member 34 or 34 to normal position, its pressure clip element 41 may be retracted by the provision of suitable depending abutment means carried by horizontal wall member 30,

so as to allow the lowermost lid of the associated stack to slip into the lid aperture of the plate member. For example, depending abutment means such as shown at in FIG. 5 may be provided, the abutment means depending from the bottom surface of top wall and being so located that it engages the pressure clip 41 as the associated plate member returns to its normal position and retracts the pressure clip sufliciently against the biasing force of its spring 42 to allow clearance for the finger tab 32 of the lid dropping into the aperture 33 or 33.

As previously-described, the device automatically compensates for over-filled cups by causing the plunger rod to terminate its descent responsive to unusual resistance effected thereby by the action of the weighted lever 67 with its roller 68. This inertia mechanism not only provides compensation for over-filled cups, but also provides a means for appropriately deenergizing the plunger solenoid when odd-sized cups are employed, namely, when cups of different size, other than the two specified sizes are employed with the apparatus.

While a specific embodiment of an improved beverage cup capping machine has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications with the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage cup capping machine comprising a support having a cup-receiving location thereon, a reciprocatory capping plunger mounted on the support above said cup-receiving location, and closure means adapted to contain caps on said support, and means to move a cap from said enclosure means and position it over said cupreceiving location responsive to the insertion of a cup in said cup-receiving location, wherein said enclosure means comprises a plurality of respective enclosures adapted to contain stacks of caps of different sizes, and wherein said means to move a cap includes means to select a cap from one of said enclosures in accordance with the size of the cup inserted in said cup-receiving location.

2. A beverage cup capping machine comprising a support having a cup-receiving location thereon, a reciprocatory capping plunger mounted on the support above said cup-receiving location, enclosure means adapted to con tain caps on said support, means to move a cap from said enclosure means and position it over said cup-receiving location responsive to the insertion of a cup in said cupreceiving location, and means to reciprocate said capping plunger responsive to the positioning of a cap by said cap moving means substantially over said cup-receiving location.

3. A beverage cup capping machine comprising a support having a cup-receiving location thereon, a reciprocatory capping plunger mounted on the support above said cup-receiving location, enclosure means adapted to contain caps on said support, and means to move a cap from said enclosure means and position it over said cup-receiving location responsive to the insertion of a cup in said cup-receiving location, wherein the cap-moving means comprises a plate member rotatively mounted on the support and having an aperture in which a cap is receivable from said enclosure means, the axis of rotation of said plate member being located so that said aperture can be positioned over said cup-receiving location.

4. The beverage cup capping machine of claim 3, and wherein the means to position the cap over the cup-receiving location comprises means to rotate said plate member to bring said aperture over the cup-receiving location responsive to said insertion of a cup into said cup-receiving location.

5. The beverage cup capping machine of claim 2, and wherein the means to reciprocate said capping plunger comprises an electromagnetic driving means connected to said capping plunger.

6. The beverage cup capping machine of claim 5, and means to energize said electromagnetic driving means responsive to the positioning of said cap by said capmoving means over said cup-receiving location, whereby to operate said capping plunger through a nominal capping siroke, and means to de-energize said electromagnetic means at the end of the nominal capping stroke.

7. The beverage cup capping machine of claim 6, and means to de-energize said electromagnetic means before the end of said nominal capping stroke responsive to deceleration of said capping plunger.

8. The beverage cup capping machine of claim 6, and wherein said electromagnetic means is provided with energizing circuit means including normally closed switch means, and wherein said means to de-energize said electromagnetic means comprises switch-operating means opening said switch means at the end of said nominal capping stroke.

9. The beverage cup capping machine of claim 8, and wherein said switch-operating means comprises a relay operatively-controlling said normally closed switch means, and energizing circuit means connected to said relay and including a limit switch on said support engageable by a portion of the capping plunger when it reaches the end of said nominal capping stroke.

10. The beverage cup capping machine of claim 9, and inertia-operated means on said capping plunger movable into operative relation to said limit switch responsive to deceleration of the capping plunger.

11. The beverage cup capping machine of claim 10, and wherein said inertia-operated means comprises a weighted lever pivoted to said capping plunger, and yieldable means normally holding said lever in an inoperative position relative to said limit switch, said weighted lever being swingable into an operative position relative to said limit switch responsive to deceleration of the capping plunger during its capping stroke.

12. The beverage cup capping machine of claim 1, and wherein the cap-selecting means comprises respective plate members rotatably-mounted on the support and having cap-receiving apertures, said plate members being located so that their capn'eceiving apertures are registrable beneath the respective enclosures to receive caps therefrom, said plate members being further located so that said apertures can be selectively-positioned over said cup-receiving locations.

13. The beverage cup capping machine of claim 12, and respective reversible electric motors drivingly-connected to said plate members.

14. The beverage cup capping machine of claim 13, and wherein said means to select a cap comprises means to selectively-operate said electric motors in accordance with the size of a cup inserted in said cup-receiving location.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,252,201 8/1941 Price 5367 2,351,349 6/1944 Mair 53-70 TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 53-468, 306 

